Toronto’s Best Food Halls
Be it torrential rain, polar-vortex temps or oppressive, stifling heat, Toronto gives us plenty of reasons to head indoors. Happily, thanks to the city’s wide range of food halls, being ushered inside isn’t all doom and gloom.
From the soon-to-open Eataly to Assembly Chef’s Hall, the Annex Food Hall and more, seeking refuge means exploring a world of gourmet groceries and chef-curated menus while consuming enough calories to see you through almost any adversity, weather-related or not.
Assembly Chef’s Hall
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In the core of the Financial District, you’ll find this laid-back, sprawling space where modern design meets global food from top local chefs like Nick Liu, Elia Herrera and more. Open six days a week, Assembly has something for every palate; from chicken tinga tacos at Taqueria Colibrí to honey-hot fried chicken at Love Chix and cupcakes at Short & Sweet. Grab a drink at one of two coffee shops or bars (the whole space is licensed) and settle in. With some of the city’s top dishes on offer, you’ll need some time to decide what to try. assemblychefshall.com
Annex Food Hall
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Though we’d all love to sip coffee while reading the paper come Saturday morning, that fantasy generally gives way to a frantic dash, getting children fed and off to their class of choice before 10 am. By Saturday afternoon, it’s time to ease into the weekend vibe. Family-friendly and casual, Annex Food Hall on Bloor West has tacos, fried chicken, bao and more to help you and the kids recharge. theannexfoodhall.com
Eataly
If pasta makes you swoon, gelato gets you giddy and Neapolitan pizza is your go-to, you’re not alone. Obsessing over Italian cuisine is so rampant that the world is now home to close to 40 locations of Eataly; the ultimate shrine to “the taste of Italy.” With the 50,000-square-foot Toronto location, the first in Canada, set to open later this year, every Italian product, recipe, luxury ingredient, taste and technique will soon be at your fingertips. With a dozen restaurants, bars, coffee shops and food counters nestled amongst the shelves of products to explore, bring the kids, plan to eat and prepare to say awhile. eataly.com
The Food District
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When weekend shopping takes you to the outskirts of the GTA, Square One is a great place to land. Beyond a plethora of stores, the mall’s new Food District is an experience in and of itself. Boasting sit-down restaurants like Blackjack BBQ as well as Grab-And-Go saviours like the Pie Commission, where savoury options such as beef’n beer vie for attention alongside treats like coconut cream pie, the district is brimming with enough delicious bites to warrant a few return trips. Not to be missed? The Macaron Boutique and Hattendo, where habit-forming, chilled Japanese cream buns are the star. shopfooddistrict.com
McEwan Yonge & Bloor
Trust Mark McEwan, one of Toronto’s original celebrity chefs, to helm one of the city’s most exciting gourmet food halls. Opened in February, this mecca of gastronomy is the place to visit for chef-approved products from around the world, kitchen tools and local treats as well as house-made dishes to enjoy at home. Stock up on pristine produce, McEwan branded groceries and more and unleash your inner chef. mcewangroup.ca/grocery
St. Lawrence Market
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Named top food market in the world by National Geographic in 2011, the St. Lawrence embodies the bustling, diverse energy of our city as well as the collective shifting of our cravings throughout the seasons. Spend a day here eating Montreal-style bagels and peameal sandwiches, learning about seasonal produce and rare cheeses and marvelling at dino-sized cuts of meat. Before you know it, you’ll have whiled away a Saturday afternoon the best way possible. And nobody will be hungry for dinner. stlawrencemarket.com
